Gate mounting and operating mechanism



Nov. 23 1926. 1,608,440

G. SPILG ER GATE MOUNTING AND OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec 12. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 23 1926.

1,608,440 a. SPILGER GATE MOUNTING AND DYERATING IECHANISI Filed Bed. 12. 1924 Sheets-Sheet 2 eazyeegfizzyel" INVENTOR Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

rarest. caries.

GEORGE SPILGER, OF PALMER, NEBRASKA.

GATE MOUNTING AND OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed December 12. 1924.

This invention relates to gates such as are used on farms and other places and has for its object the provision of a novel gate mounting and operating mechanism whereby the gate may be quickly and easily moved to open or closed position as desired, the construction being, moreover, such that the gate has a normal tendency to remain closed, a feature of distinct advantage inasmuch as accidental opening will be prevented.

An important object is the provision of a gate of this character which is pivotally mounted upon adequate brace means and which is equipped with a novel latch device which operates automatically, when pressure is applied thereto, to disengage the gate from i s holding post and to swing the gate upon its support so that opening or closing movement may be readily accomplished.

Another object is the provision of a gate of this character which is so constructed and arranged that it maybe elevated to a limited extent and be retained in such elevated position whereby pigs, poultry, or other small animals may be permitted to pass through under the gate whenever such is desired.

An additional object is the provision of a mechanism of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

W'ith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the aocoi'npanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gate showing it in closed position,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the gate in unlocked or unfastened position,

Figure '3 a top plan view, Figure 1 is a detail side elevation, partly in section. showing the suspension or place means and also illustrating the means for, adjusting the height of the gate,

Figure 5 a cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a detail cross section onthe line 66 of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a detail cross section on the 7-7 of Figure 1, and

Serial No. 755,529.

ing the latch device and the mechanism or parts associated therewith.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the supporting gate post from which the gate is hung by means to be described, while 11 represents the retaining post which, as clearly shown in Figure 7 carries an upstanding member 12 spaced therefrom so as to define an opening for a purpose to be described. Extending through the upper and lower portions of the post 10 are U-shaped bolts or brackets 14 and 15, the latter of which has one arm and the former both arms surrounded by spacing sleeves 16 which bear against the bight portions and against one face of the post. These U-bolts carry suitable nuts 1? for effecting securing thereof to the post 10 in an obvious manner. The U- bolt or bracket member is provided with a hole 18 for a purpose to be described.

The gate suspension means comprises a bar or arm 19 formed at one end with a horizontally arranged ear 20 pivotally engaged upon the upper bolt member 1 1 Connected with the free end of the arm or bar 19, as shown at 21, is an inclined or diagonally arranged brace bar 22 which. terminates at its lower end in a horizontally disposed ear 23 pivotally engaged upon the bolt 15 as shown in Figure 4. The arms or bars 19 and. 22 are connected by an upstanding bar 2% which is suitably secured to both as indicated at 25. Pivoted at 26 upon the free end of the arm or bar 19 are hangers 27.

The gate proper is designated by the numeral 28 and is represented as including a plurality of horizontal bars or slats 29 connected by transverse bars or cleats 30, 31 and 32 suitably secured thereto. It is also preferable to provide a diagonal brace secured to the various longitudinal slats 29 for strengthening purposes. The entire gate is pivotallysuspended or connected at 34 between the-depending hangers 27 of the suspension device. Owing to this particular mounting it is readily apparent that the gate will be swingably supported upon the pivot 34 and will he therefore guided by the members 27. Attention is invited to the fact that the slats 29project beyond the torwardmost cleat so as to define exten ions which engage within the opening 13 or between the post and the member 12 carried thereby.

The gate further carries a latch device formed as an elongated bar 36 equipped with a suitable knob 37 or the like whereby it may be moved as will be explained. It is also preferable that this bar be provided with a recess or opening 38 also serving as a finger hold whereby it may be moved. At its intermediate portion, the latch bar 36 is cut away to define a shoulder 39 which cooperates with a similar shoulder formed by cutting away the upper edge of the intermediate one of the horizontal slats 29. hen the shoulders 39 and el-O-are in engagement with each other it is obvious that the latch bar 36 will be held in extended posi tion engaging with the space 13 at the s de of the'post' 11. It is to be observed that the latch bar 36 is so mounted within a guide 41 that it will be capable of upward and downward movement in addition to longitudinal sliding movement in order that the bar may be slid into retracted position to disengage the post 11. A suitable stop i2. is carried by the slat 29 upon which the latch bar is mounted in order to limit its sliding movement to retracted position.

Used in association with the lower bolt or bracket member 15 is an L-shaped retaining element 43 which is engaged through the hole 18. -As shown in Figure 4-, the ears 20 and of the suspension and brace device are at the lowermost port-ions of the bolts 14 and 15 and the gate is consequently in its lowermost position. If it is desired, for any reason to elevate the gate in order to clear the clods or any accumulation of snow or the like, or to permit poultry-or pigs or other small animals to pass freely under the gate, it is merely necessary that the retaining element 43 withdrawn from the hole 18 and the suspension device shifted upwardly so that. theea'rs 20 and 23 will be located at the upper portions of the bolts M and 15, subscquentlyto which the retaining element 43 is replaced through the hole 18 but beneath the lowermost ear 23.

In the use of the device, it will be seen, by referring to Figure 1, that when the gate is in closed position the extensions 35 at the free ends thereof and also the end of the latch bar 36 will be received within the space 13 between the side members 12 of the post 11 and it will be'con e'quently' imposfor the gate to move laterally in either direotionf ll heneverit is desired to open the gate, it isinte'nd'ed that the operator grasp the knob oreng ag e his fingers withthe recess or opening: 35, and liftthe latch bares utaueaay that the shoulder 39 thereon will clear the shoulder lGi on the slat immediatelybeneath it. The opaster then slides the lean bar 36" ma from the post 11 and when the rear end of the latch bar engages against the stop 42 it is evident that the entire gate will be" swung upon its pivot 34 away from the post 11 so that the extensions 35 and also the latch bar 36 will be retracted from within the space 13 at the post 11. hen this is done it is is evident that the gate may be. freely swung in one direction or the other to effect the desired opening. serving'as a handle, the knob 37 acts also as a stop for limiting the outward movement of the latch bar with respect to the gate, it being quite clear that this knob will abut against the rear edge of the forward end cleat 30 as shown in Figure 1.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed, inexpensive and easily installed gate mechanisn'i or mountingwhich willinsure easy operation of the gate. evenbya person possessing but little strength. "Owing to the peculiar pivotal mounting of the gate at the intermediate portion of its lower edge upon the depending arms suspended from the brace mechanism it is evident that the swinging movement of the gate with respect to the post 11 so as to effect engagement or disengagement of the extensions 35 and the latch bar 36 within the post 11 it will be seen that the movement will be very free and easy. Another point of advantage resulting from this construction is that the gate always has a tendency to move into closed position with the extensions 35 and the latch bar engaging within the post 11. In this way it will be seen that there is little likelihood of accidental opening. The feature of the vertical adjustability to permit the passage of small animals beneath the gate or to provide clearance in case of snowdrift or the like has already been explained and a further description of this detail should therefore be unnecessary. Owing to the fewness of the parts and the manner in which they are connected it is believed that there is, practically nothing to get out of order so that the gate should have a long and satisfactory life.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, con struction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

is agate mechanism, a pivot post and a keeper post, a gate pivotally mounted on the pivot" post, and gate including transverse and longitudinal members, a latch bar mountedforslitling movement between two of the longitudinal-"members and cut away In addition to throughout a portion of its length to define ing projectible into engagement with the a reduced portion and a shoulder, the lonkeeper post, and stop means carried by said gitudinal member of the gate adjacent the cut away longitudinal member engageable 10 cutaway portion of the latch bar being likeby the latch member for limiting retracting Wise cut away to define a reduced portion movement thereof.

and a shoulder adapted to coac-t with said In testimony whereof I aifix my signature. first named shoulder, said latch member be- GEORGE SPILGER. 

